Kai Chow

Kai Chow, 19-year-old violinist from Abbotsford, British Columbia, has been playing the violin since the age of 4. He is in his second year studying Pharmacology at McGill University as a Loran Scholar. Kai continues to study violin with Axel Strauss. Prior to moving to Montréal, Kai studied with Carla Birston at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music (VSOSoM). He made his solo debut with the Vancouver Symphony at age 15 after winning their Future of Excellence Competition. He returned to their stage in October, 2021. Kai has had the opportunity to work with renowned musicians, including Ray Chen, Nicola Benedetti, Yo-Yo Ma, James Ehnes, Midori, and Noah Bendix-Balgley. He has also performed with the Australian String Quartet, The Piano Guys and shared a concert series with Timothy Chooi. In high school, Kai was actively involved in orchestra and chamber music. He was the concertmaster of the VSOSoM Sinfonietta String Ensemble, and a member of the Sequoia Quartet which won several awards, including provincial titles, and competed in the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.

As a soloist, Kai placed first in the BC Provincial Festival three times and has won numerous music festival awards across Greater Vancouver. He was featured in the Air Canada EnRoute magazine for his efforts to spread hope through music during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kai is an alumna of Morningside Music Bridge (‘21 & ‘22) and the National Arts Centre Young Artists Program (‘19).

Kai enjoys skiing, couponing and a good bubble tea. He loves to travel, and one of his missions includes searching the world for the best coffee gelato.